Those Shades of Grey
by Maiden of the Heavens
Summary: This is the sequel to Couldn't Be. Eight months after the death of Inutaisho and Ryuukotsusei, Lady Takara and Ame-Kohana's worlds have fallen into ruin. Sesshoumaru is left to pick up the pieces of the tragedy of his father's death and try to bring honor back to his Lands, even if it means protecting the younger half-siblings he despises. Slight AU
1. A Mother's Grief

**A/N: I know it has been three years since I have written Couldn't Be, but I really did not have the heart to write the sequel until after re-watching some of my favorite episodes of Inuyasha: The Final Act, and finally regained the inspiration I once had for writing this series. This series will be written from the point of views of all three mothers, plus Sesshoumaru and maybe even Inuyasha in third person. I do not know how long it will be yet, but I am guessing somewhere along the lines of maybe forty chapters. I do not own Inuyasha just some of the plot for this story, and any OCS. Please read and review. –Maiden of the Heavens (MOTH) **

Chapter One

He stepped onto white sand, ignoring the waves that were lapping up against his black boots and hamaka. He ignored it, just as he had ignored the smoke coming from his hands and slight pink tinged of his skin from the barrier that surrounded Horai Island. He dodged the half-breed children of the island's occupants and made his way toward the hut where the wailing screams of a mother in labor could be heard. Instead of going inside, which would have been terribly rude, nor did he see any reason to go in and see the birth of the pathetic pup, he waited outside. He let the heat of the sun warm his skin as he waited as he watched as young half-breed children ran along the beach chasing crabs, building structures out of the sand, or fishing with homemade poles. He thought that it was at least somewhat amusing.

He sniffed a little before he heard the cries of the newborn pup, heard the hushing sounds of the mother. But he could also smell the mother's tears as she wept. He waited until a couple of the priestess's that had been assisting during the birth left with bloody rags before he pushed the weaved straw flap that served as a door aside and entered the hut. He brushed his sliver locks away from his face with pearl white claws before glancing over at the priestess known as Lady Kanade. She said nothing, but simply glared coldly at the Lord of the Western Lands. The young Lord said nothing toward her, his face was mask of emotionlessness; his amber eyes dead of any emotion, cold and as hard as a stone. He looked over at the new mother, her long raven black hair was sleek with sweat, the triangular dog ears perched above her head twitched at every sound nervously. Tears were dried against her cheeks now, dark circles could easily be seen under amethyst eyes from exhaustion, and her amethyst eyes bore deep the feelings of shame and uncertainty. The once proud Lady-heir of the Western Mountain Territories was now nothing but a half-demoness priestess who spent her time gathering herbs and healing the sick and wounded. But now she had another thing to add to her long black list sins, a bastard child that had been brought on a by a drunken rape. A drunken rape that the young Lord could not even bring himself to speak aloud about, a drunken rape that had been brought by his father, Lord Inutaisho of the West. A once proud man who was now dead. Dead and had brought two bastard children into the world before he had departed to the netherworld.

The young Lord looked down at the pup that was busy suckling greedily on her mother's breast. She had the raven black hair same as her own mother, and the same triangular ears, but for now they were squished sideways on her head. He looked over at the mother and said nothing for a long while before finally speaking. "What are you going to name your daughter, Lady Ame-Kohana?" he didn't care to even bother calling the newborn pup his sister; she did not deserve the honor of being known as such.

When the mother of the bastard spoke, her words were rough with exhaustion and sorrow, "I am no longer a Lady, but a simple Priestess. She shall be named Nana-Yami."

The Young Lord of the West raised an eyebrow. Why shame the child with such a name as seventh-shadow, could this fallen Lady see nothing of her, was she simply going to be an abomination, a living reminder of a night that Ame-Kohana wished to bury deep within in her mind, or did the now simple priestess have more sins that she needed to hide? The heir to the West looked down at the pup that was now fast asleep against her mother's chest and turned to leave. Truth be told, he would have liked it better if he would have been allowed to kill the bastard and wipe her from the earth, but it was not his job to clean up others' mistakes. He turned on his black booted heal to leave, the woven-hay mat in his claw when Ame-Kohana calling his name made him stop and glanced over his shoulder.

"Sesshoumaru, you will watch over her if I am to die? Promise me that you will." The fallen Lady was pleading with her to protect the bastard, how pathetic.

"I shall make no such promise." He replied coldly and left the hut, hearing the new mother break down into sobs while she held her daughter close to her.

He dodged a young half-breed wolf pup and a half-breed tiger cub chasing one another as he stepped through the barrier, and felt cool wind and rain hit his face. Why was it up to him to protect his father's bastards? He closed his amber eyes and remembered rather painfully and angrily that his father had died protecting that pathetic human Lady and the pup that had been born because of his father's _love _for her. He would never openly admit to another soul but it hurt his pride that he once held for his father to think that he would do such a thing to shame his Lady wife, his mother, by going off and impregnating not only a human, but a half-breed as well. Sesshoumaru sighed and focused his demonic energy into a ball of light making his way back to the palace in the Western Territories.

He found his mother hours later, kneeling in her gardens, her gardens which were now ruined. The flowers and even the tree burned to ashes, her beautiful ocean blue kimono decorated with red flowers ruined by mud and dirt, flower petals that were crisped by fire clinging to her kimono sleeve. Even her kimono sleeves were singed. Her silver hair that normal flowed in twin long ponytails, hung dirty and unkempt. He actually felt ashamed of her, for letting anyone see her in such a ruined state. She kneeled in the mud sobbing like a beggar, practically wailing over her husband's death. When she noticed Sesshoumaru standing behind her, she tried so desperately wipe the tears from her amber eyes, only to steak mud and ash under them.

"My son," she whispered, "You have returned to me." She floated toward him and gently touched his cheek with her hand. "I have missed you dearly."

"Why must you continue to mourn him, Mother?" the young Lord questioned. "It has been nearly a year since his passing, eight months."

Takara glared coldly at her son. "Once you love someone, as deeply as I loved your father, Sesshoumaru. Maybe then you shall understand." She made her way inside, leaving the young Lord to look at the now ruined garden that had once been his mother's pride and joy.


	2. A Mother's Reasoning

**A/N: Welcome to the second chapter of this story. The third chapter shall be mainly Sesshoumaru. Please leave a review in the box, I need to know if this story totally sucks or not. As always I do not Inuyasha, just some of the plot and any OCS. This story is going to be rated M from now on. Once again, please leave a review. –Maiden of the Heavens (MOTH) **

Chapter 2: A Mother's Reasoning

Ame-Kohana had left her two-week old daughter with Lady Kanade. The High Priestess of Horai Island had once been her mentor when she had been much younger in her years, but now she was a Priestess herself and had her own duties to attend too. Her long black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail with a piece of white ribbon. She was wearing a black hamaka decorated with crimson butterflies and flowers and a black gi. The stitching was all in white, tucked under her arm was a basket now practically overly flowing with herbs. Her triangular doggy ears twitched listening for any sounds of distress coming from her daughter. But when she had left her hut, Nana-Yami had been fast asleep in her basket, wrapped in a white blanket looking innocent and adorable. Ame-Kohana set the basket down to gather a handful of herbs that were in front of her, when she realized that her hands were shaking.

For two weeks now she felt the worst mother in the world. She could not hold her own daughter without her whole body quivering and tears streaming down her cheeks from her amethyst eyes. Could she go so far as to say that she hated her own daughter? What kind of mother hates her own flesh and blood? It was not Nana-Yami's fault that she had her father's amber eyes, and that those happy ember eyes were a constant reminder of what Lord Inutaisho of the Western Territories had done to her. She hastily gathered the herbs and stuffed them into the basket to make her way back toward her, maybe someday she could learn to look past the color of her daughter's eyes and learn to love her? She was almost to her hut when she felt a tugging on her gi sleeve. She looked down and smiled slightly at the half-breed wolf-pup that was looking up at her curious silver eyes. The young half-breed had dark brown hair that was unkempt and large triangular wolf ears that matched her hair at the top of her head, sticking out of her yellow kimono that had been tied back with an amethyst obi was a scruffy dark brown tail that was wagging slightly, she had a large grin on face, showing off her fangs.

"What do you need Miyako?" Ame-Kohana asked gently, she did not wish for the child to see how upset she was.

"I was just wondering if you were going to give us our reading and writing lesson today?" Miyako asked, the young wolf pup was five summers old now.

"No, it will be Lady Kanade or Lady Mio." Ame-Kohana answered and continued on her way. Lady Mio was old and could hardly see anymore, she had been Lady Kanade's mentor. She knew why the children did not like her, because Lady Mio was so old she forgot what lessons she was teaching the children which made it difficult for them to learn.

Miyako pouted. "I hope it's Lady Kanade." The little wolf-pup girl brightened in an instant, "Can I over and see your pup, Lady Ame-Kohana? Please, I'll be gentle."

Ame-Kohana could not help but smile. "If you wish too."

The priestess and the young wolf pup half-breed returned to the hut that Ame-Kohana called home. The smell of ink and herbs greeted them as they entered. Lady Kanade sat close to the basket where Nana-Yami still slept as soundly as when the mother had left her. The High Priestess smiled softly as Miyako made her way over to the basket and kneeled down beside the baby pup, gently stroking a single finger on the Nana-Yami's raven black hair.

"She is so small." Miyako whispered as Ame-Kohana sat down beside Lady Kanade and began to string the different herbs together into bundles in order to hang from the rafters.

Perhaps someday Ame-Kohana would learn to love and accept her daughter for who she was, and not hate her for the color of her eyes or for who her father had been. Maybe someday, but not now the grief and horror were still far too fresh in her mind. Ame-Kohana's ears perked slightly and twitched as she looked over at Nana-Yami who was beginning to squirm and whimper. The priestess stood and left her work behind to kneel down beside her daughter. She looked over at the wolf-pup of five summers who seemed terribly worried about the baby who was nearly about to cry.

"Go home to your little brother and elder brother now Miyako, she is merely hungry." Ame-Kohana explained as shifted her gi slightly in order to give Nana-Yami what she wanted most right now, her mother's milk.

Miyako nodded and bowed slightly, thanking her for allowing her to see the baby before she departed for her own hut that was deeper in the woods. Ame-Kohana looked over at Lady Kanade who was smiling softly.

"You are good with her, Ame-Kohana." She said as she stood to the mother and daughter alone for a while.

"This is not the first child I have raised…" Ame-Kohana whispered while Nana-Yamie suckled.

The High Priestess nodded and departed the hut, a cool ocean breeze coming in as the straw-woven door shifted slightly.

* * *

It should have been easy walk back to the cave tunnel that led to the Western Mountain Territories. Ame-Kohana had been walking along the beach for a while now; she had left the palace in the early afternoon and now the moon and stars were heavy against the night sky with light. She stopped to let the cold ocean water soothe the aching soles of her feet. Her body suddenly tensed and her ears twitched, narrowing her amethyst eyes she could hear the drunken hoots and hollers of dog demon males but they were not from her own territories. Her own people right now were in a state of grieving same as she was. Ame-Kohana, Lady of the Lightning Dragon Clan and of the Western Mountain Territories was not the mood nor in any state to fight as she saw the group of male dog demon approach. They were all soldiers from what she could tell, bloody and battered and also drunk. Celebrating a long and difficult victory. Her amethyst eyes grew wide as noticed the Lord leading them, was none other than Inutaisho. His claws were bloodied up to the knuckles and his silver hair was not tied back in a high ponytail but instead it flowed loose in the ocean breeze.

"Take that wench, My Lord. You deserve to fuck a maiden other than your wife after your victory." A soldier said loudly, tipping sideways and pointing a finger at Ame-Kohana, who stopped dead in her movements.

The Lady looked down at her outfit; she was plainly dressed in a black kimono with silver lightning streaks sown into the fabric and a silver obi. Her raven black hair was hanging loosely and right now she could not look more like a commoner. She could run or she could fight and right now her brain was screaming at her flee. She quickly tried to obey and turn on her heel to get to the crevasses in the rock that would lead her to palace and into the safety of her husband's arms, but before she could get any farther, Inutaisho's soldiers knocked her flat on her stomach. They spun her back, as tears leaked from her eyes and she screamed in fear. She tried to squirm, to dig her claws into her the hands of soldiers that had pinned her, but they all outweighed her including with their armor on. She saw with wide eyes as Inutaisho staggered through his crowd of soldiers toward her, and took a long swig from the sake in his wine-skin that hung from his obi on a long braided piece of robe. His face with red from the effects of the alcohol, and his ember eyes were shiny with it. While two of his soldiers held Ame-Kohana pinned down by her arms, Inutaisho ripped the bottom of fabric of her kimono, showing her exposed bare legs and just as bare naked lady parts. He even tore the side of her kimono away exposing her naked breasts to the ocean breezes cool nip. Ame-Kohana whimpered and sobbed, when he removed his breast plate and the piece of armor thudded to the ground, spraying sand as it fell. He then untied his obi and allowed his white hamaka that were bloodstained with fall around his knees, exposing his manhood. Ame-Kohana screamed then, loudly. Lightning surged from her ink-black claws. One of Lord Inutaisho's soldiers clamped a sweaty hand over her mouth as she continued to scream and sob, even it is muffled.

As Inutaisho entered her and his men cheered their approval. Ame-Kohana continued to sob fresh tears of fear and shame rinsing away the tearstains on her cheeks for fresh ones to flow. She squeezed her eyes shut as Inutaisho continued to thrust within her. He moaned a name that of a demoness that she did not know in ear while he continued to rape. "Izayoi…Izayoi, my love…"

After her seed was spent inside her, and one of his soldiers had slapped her so hard she could feel a bruise forming on the right side of her face. Inutaisho repaired his clothing to their proper positions; he left with soldiers without another word. Ame-Kohana painfully curled herself into a ball; while Inutaisho was busy he had dug his claws into the flesh of her jawbone, leaving the claw marks to bleed down the side of her face. Ame-Kohana lay on the beach for a long while, the air around growing around as she lay there curled into a ball and sobbing. She lifted her head a little when she heard her husband's own soldiers calling her name. One of them found her, a full-fledged Lightning Dragon with hair the color of flames.

"My Lady, who has done this to you?" He asked softly as he covered with the black cloak that he wore around his shoulders and gathered her into his arms.

She could only answer with a single name on her swollen lips, "Inutaisho."

The pair of soldiers brought her back to the palace as the healers took care of her from there on. They bathed her and dressed her wounds, threw her ruined kimono in the flames of a fire that was burning and helped her to dress in nightwear before leaving her to bury herself in the covers that were on her futon.

Her Lord-Husband came in moments later, his smoky-grey hair with lavender streaks flowed down to his knees freely as he knelt down beside his wife and gripped her small hand in his own rather larger one. He kissed her on her brow and nuzzled his face into her neck as she started to sob once again.

"I swear to you, My Love. I shall avenge you with my hands and lightning. I shall tear Inutaisho to shreds for what he has done to you." Ryuukotsusei growled and placed a gentle kiss to her wounded lips before leaving the room, white-blue lightning crackling around him as he left the bedchamber and his mask in his hands, his normal gentle silver eyes were red with anger.

* * *

Ame-Kohana awoke gasping for air with tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked down at Nana-Yami who was sleeping contently in her mother's arms. The half-demon priestess sighed, she must have dozed off while feeding her daughter. But why that memory decided to haunt her, she had no reason to think of why. It already haunted her while she awake. She looked down at her daughter, Nana-Yami once more and with fresh tears in her eyes could only look at her baby born from a rape from a demon Lord she used to love as a punishment for not being able to defend herself. And all Ame-Kohana could feel at the moment in her heart was shame and guilt at thinking that way of such an innocent little baby, who had never done anything wrong in her two weeks of life.


	3. Memories of War

**A/N: Welcome to the third chapter of Those Shades of Grey, I own nothing but my plot for this story and any OCS. Please leave a review! –Maiden of the Heavens (MOTH) **

Memories of War

The young Lord of the West heightened the flame that was within in the lantern, he been busy avoiding his mother, who had so far accused him of being cold-hearted since his father's death. It was not his fault that he found his mother's grieving wails such a nuisance, at least in his father's study it was quiet. Silent and dusty. He gently gripped a scroll with a pearl-white clawed hand and pulled it out from where was stacked amongst its peers. Sesshoumaru gently unrolled it and softly blew away the dust that covered up Inutaisho's notes before he began to read. He remembered this battle; this was the bloodbath that had brought Ame-Kohana crumbling to her knees, a mother who finally learned true heart wrenching agony.

* * *

The day had been dark; a storm had been brewing for hours. Lightning flashed across the sky, blinding blasts of white light, which was followed by the angry roar of thunder. The rain came down heavily; soaking Sesshoumaru's clothing and making his hair mat to his forehead and cheeks. But he did not care, he stood by his father, he listened to the sound of the rain as it plunked against armor, making tink-tink noises. He knew why they were about to go into battle, but the entire reason seemed idiotic to the young Heir to the Western Lands. They were there to fight the Lightning Dragon Clan, the slithering and scale covered beasts had been devouring the villagers of his father's land, the villages had been reduced to nothing but smoking piles of ash. Sesshoumaru had thought this to be somewhat amusing, it would also help with the food shortage and heavy population that had begun to crowd the Western Lands. Sesshoumaru thought of it as a good thing, his father on the other hand, was outraged.

This Sesshoumaru could understand even though he was still rather young. He was young yes, but old enough to go into battle. Old enough to see the horrors and outcome of war. The sky was pitch black, as if the sun had been a gigantic candle that had just been snuffed out by a gust of a wind. The lightning strikes were their only sources of illumination, Sesshoumaru claws tapped restlessly against the hilt of his sword. The sword that he had wanted to wield was Sounga, the Sword of the netherworld, a sword so powerful that only Inutaisho could wield it. When Sesshoumaru had inquired his father about using it in battle, he had shook his head and placed a hand on top of his son's head.

He gave his son a half-turned up smile and replied, "This sword is far too dangerous for you to wield. It is a sword made from the depths of the Underworld. I do not wish for it to consume you with its vile thoughts."

Sesshoumaru had scoffed in annoyance and had left his father's study, to equip his armor and his own sword. It was his mother who had the sword crafted for him from her very own fang. He had not given it a name; he had not seen the blade as worthy enough to be given one. His mother had given it as a sign of her love for him, he knew that his mother wanted him to be safe. When his mother had asked him what he would name the sword, he smiled ever so slightly and responded with, "_Haha no Hōyō. _–Mother's Embrace-" His mother then kissed him on the dark purple crescent moon marking on his forehead and left her son to prepare himself for war.

A thunderous roar that shook the earth beneath Sesshoumaru's feet, sent him violently out of his memories and back into the reality of war. Snaking above him and his father was none other than Ryūkotsusei, the mighty Lord of the Lightning Dragon clan sent a powerful orb of lightning from his mouth directly at the Lord of the West and his heir. Sesshoumaru easily followed his father into the dodging the attack. He landed roughly on his feet, his hand now fully wrapped the hilt of _Haha no Hōyō._ With Ryūkotsusei thick armor-like skin it was going to be difficult for his father to defeat him. Sesshoumaru glanced around the field, his father's soldiers now in fierce combat with the Lord of the Lightning Clan's own. Sesshoumaru growled low as a surge of lightning narrowly missed the side of his face; he glared at the Dragon who had dared to try to strike him down.

His opponent was none other than the Heir of the Lightning Dragon Clan, Hikaru-Michi. He was the same age as the Heir to the West. He was scrawny, with thin arms and legs. He had the same silver hair as his father, like moonlight from a full moon. His eyes were amethyst; the same as his mother, Ame-Kohana, what set him apart from the rest of his own clan were the triangular ears that proceeded from the tops of his head. At the corner of each of his eyes were lightning bolt markings that were a navy blue in color and stretched down to his jawline. The long silver dog tail that came out from under his clothing and armor was scruffy and was wagging with excitement. Lightning the color of moonlight crackled from his raven black claws as he charged at Sesshoumaru. A smirk was on his lips and light of determination and cockiness gleamed in his amethyst eyes.

The Heir to the Western Lands easily dodged the strikes, Hikaru-Michi attacks becoming sloppier and fueled by anger as he continued to miss wounding his enemy. Sesshoumaru could only smirk; this pup was not ready for battle, not if he couldn't even control his emotions. Sesshoumaru glided backwards as he dodged a blue and white wave of flames that came from Hikaru-Michi's claws. The scrawny "Prince's" amethyst eyes had turned red, his fangs jutting out from the corner of his mouth like a snake, he was growling like a frightened mutt that refused to surrender. Sesshoumaru's lime green whip of light came from his fingertips as he wrapped Hikaru-Michi in it like a noose. He sent his enemy sailing into the air and then into the ground, a crater formed around the Heir to the Lightning Dragon Clan as he struggled to get from the grave he had dug himself.

The Heir to the Western Lands smiled and only wrapped his whip of light tighter around his enemy, as Hikaru-Michi struggled for air his claws digging at the whip and clawing at it desperately. Sesshoumaru had become so distracted by his closing victory that he failed to dodge in time as a wave of white and blue flames consumed him. He growled low as his arms were now covered in burns, his clothing signed and blacked at the edges. He ignored the agony that had begun pulsing through him, and smiled as he could smell the poison from his own claws swirling into the air, he sent his claws sinking into Hikaru-Michi's stomach. Blood splattered against Sesshoumaru's arms and face as pulled his claws out from his enemy's gut.

Hikaru-Michi looked down at his stomach, horrified and panicked. Tears began to pool at the edges of his amethyst eyes, he stumbled back into the crater that had made earlier from the bone crushing impact. He fell in to it, backwards and gasping for breath like a fish out of water. Sesshoumaru smirked and unsheathed the sword his mother had crafted for him. With one fluid motion, he sent Hikaru-Michi's head from his neck, the decapitated body part frozen in expression of fear. Sesshoumaru whipped his sword to the side, letting the blood coat the grass beside him as he put it back to rest in its scabbard.

The last thing he had heard before finally giving in to the pain of the burns was Ryūkotsusei's roar of anguish and rage.

* * *

Sesshoumaru blinked rapidly as the light in the lamp began to flicker out. He gently rolled the scroll back up and put it back in its rightful dusty spot. He stretched out the kinks in his muscles from sitting so long and made his way out of his father's study. He made his way into his bedchamber, only to find the Tensaiga, the Sword of Heaven and Life laying on his futon. He glared at it with loathing. Why would his father leave him such useless blade? The sword could not even wound enemies. He continued to glare at it, when he turned to face his mother.

Takara stood in the doorway of her son's bedchamber. Her eyes were deep with sadness, and before Sesshoumaru could protest, she embraced her son, resting her chin on the top of his head. "You should be grateful that your father left you that blade, my son."

Sesshoumaru scoffed, "It is useless to me, Mother. It cannot even take down my enemies."

Takara released her arms from around her son and picked up Tensaiga, she set the sword on the wall alongside _Haha no Hōyō, _both blades now settled above where Sesshoumaru rested his mind at night. She looked over at her son, who was still glaring at the Sword of Heaven and Life.

"You should be glad with what your father has left you." She whispered before pressing a kiss to the crescent moon marking on her son's forehead and leaving him to stand in the middle of his bedchamber with only his thoughts to keep him company.


	4. A Mother's Fear

**A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter, as always I do not own Inuyasha. Please review!**

**-Maiden of the Heavens (MOTH) **

A Mother's Fear

Izayoi sat with her son in her lap, as she wiped the dirt and mud from his face. A basket weaved from twigs and branches sat beside, unwashed linens and clothing spilling from it. She continued to scrub the forest floor off of her one year old son's face. "Inuyasha, stop your squirming." She scolded but her laughter betrayed her anger. The one year old pouted, and watched as the frog he been chasing hopped away with a croak.

"Now, we came here to get clean, not to dirtier ourselves more." His mother said and placing the washboard against the rock that protruded from the river and began to scrub the linens clean. She shrieked in laughter as Inuyasha shook himself dry like a dog, his silver hair still slightly damp, and his triangular dog ears twitching. He gave his mother a fanged grin before he chased off after a grasshopper. The once-proud lady continued to scrub, her fingers becoming numb from the icy water of the river. She looked up from she was crouched, the linen wrapping around her wrinkled fingers like a bandage. The cloth dripped water onto the rocks like rain, her body had stiffened, tense, her heart beating against her chest like a drum. Something was wrong, the birds had stopped singing, the only song she could here was the wind whispering through the trees, making the leaves on the branches dance. Even her son's laughter had stopped reaching her ears. Fear gripped her heart, she was struggling to breathe.

She couldn't lose her son, not after what Inutaisho had done to save them. She couldn't let the Lord of the West's death be in vain. She righted herself, the sodden cloth falling heavily to the grass. Should she start calling for her son, or would that attract other demons to their whereabouts? She couldn't lose her son, shaking her head back and forth to clear her head, she did her best to fight the tears that were beginning to form at the edge of her eyes and blur her vision. She wiped them away with the sleeve of her kimono and found a heavy looking branch, which still had a few limbs on it that hung limply with leaves. She picked it up and wielding it like a club, she rushed into the forest.

Without regards for her own life, Izayoi screamed her son's name desperately, struggling to keep the panic out of her voice. She had reached a small tight clearing the forest, she was gasping for breath, the branch still clutched in her hands, but what kind of weapon would a branch be against a horde of demons? She tucked the strands of her dark ebony hair that gotten into her face behind her ears, she having a hard time keep herself from shaking. But she had to brave, not just for herself but for Inuyasha.

The former noblewoman looked up into the branches of the tree she was underneath, and a weak and small smile of relief stretched upon her face. She turned, so her back was facing the surrounding forest and let the branch fall from her death-like grasp. "Inuyasha, why are you hiding up there?" she questioned softly, as her son's soft amber eyes blinked back at her like an owl.

"I like trees." He answered simply and crawled into his mother's embrace. Izayoi held her son close to her, her long ebony hair covering him like a shroud. "Did I make you worry?" he questioned, feeling guilty that he had brought his mother so close to tears. The lingering scent of salty water tickled his nose.

His mother did not answer; she did not wish to make her son feel as if he was burden to her. Which he wasn't, there was so much that she would have to get used to about having a Half-Demon child. She slowly made her way out of the forest and back toward the water of the icy river; summer was slowly leaving and turning into fall, the leaves beginning to shift colors. From their dark green states, to those of yellow, red, and brown. Izayoi felt her son, grip his pearl white claws tighter into the fabric of her spring green kimono, her under robe was white, and the sash was white with yellow flowers decorating it.

It was her son's growling that made her stumble in her sandaled tracks; she did not want to turn around to see what had decided to make them its next meal. The hairs on the back of her neck had raised, she could feel her body shaking in fear. What kind of her mother was she, if she couldn't even her protect her son from the demons that wanted to kill him for sport?

Clutching Inuyasha to her, she turned to face the demon that had been hunting them, probably since they left the village and had come to the river. Her chocolate brown eyes widened in fear, it was a massive ogre, at least seven feet tall. Large and dagger like fangs protruded from his mouth, his eyes blood red. His hair was grey, but matted with the blood from previous victims, large ram horns rested on the top of his head, connected to his skull. He grinned at Izayoi, drool dripping from his fangs. Inuyasha growled low, whether out of protectiveness toward her or fear, Izayoi couldn't tell. With her mind screaming in fear to run, she swiftly obeyed her flight instinct and turned, running through the forest away from the ogre. But she could still here him, his feet making the ground beneath them shudder, it sounded like thunder. She struggled to herself from crying or sobbing in fear. She had to brave for Inuyasha, she had too. Mothers were supposed to protect their children, not the other way around.

She ducked her body close in to herself as she weaved under a low tree branch; Inuyasha's tiny had to get to safety somehow. But where was safety for a mother and her Half-Demon son? A scream broke past her lips as she stumbled to a stop, seeing the ogre's head land in front of them. Then the thud of its massive body behind them, made Izayoi drop to her knees, still holding on to Inuyasha. She lifted teary dark chocolate brown eyes to see their savior. He had silver hair and golden amber eyes, magenta jagged markings on his cheeks and wrists. An amethyst crescent moon marked the middle of his forehead. He was wearing a light blue gi and hamaka, black boots covered his feet. He carried a sword at his side, tucked into a yellow obi. His face was a mask of emotionlessness, his amber eyes cold and deadly. A lime green whip that seemed to be made from light returned to were had to come from, inside his claws. He stared at Izayoi for a moment, but did not say a word, as the former noblewoman collected herself and released her son from her hold.

Inuyasha simply cocked his head, like a curious puppy. His silver dog ears atop his head twitching. Izayoi cleared her throat, and was the first one to speak to the full-fledged demon in front of them. She simply spoke his name, "Sesshoumaru." But to the teenage demon in front of her, it felt a needle in his side. A lowly human such as her, should not be allowed to be speak his name, this was the human woman who had caused his father's death.

He glared icily at her, but the woman did not cower from, nor let the fear be seen on her face. But he could smell her fear, and hear her heart beating in chest widely like a frightened rabbit. He looked down at Inuyasha as the young Half-Demon child, waddled over to him and looked up at with wide and curious amber eyes like an owl. Sesshoumaru looked back at him, but did not speak a word; instead he addressed the Half-Demon's mother.

"There is a priestess in your village by the name of Lady Kanade. Speak to her." the words were edged with icy and laced with loathing as the Lord of the West spoke, in fact he seemed almost bored giving her in the information.

Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and prepared to leave in an orb of light back to the Palace in the West, but tiny claws hooking into the fabric of his hamaka made him falter. He glanced over his shoulder at Inuyasha. He watched as Izayoi stood and took her son by the arm, gently tugging the young pup away from his elder half-brother.

The former noblewoman gathered her son in her arms, she smiled softly at Sesshoumaru. "Thank you."

Sesshoumaru did not speak a word nor look at the human woman, the human woman that his father had sacrificed his life for. It made him angry that his father, a proud Lord and demon would allow himself to be seduced by a mortal woman, it made his father look weak and pathetic. Just as he was leaving the forest, a familiar scent made his nose prickle; he twitched to get it to away, only to notice his mother standing in front of him.

"You saved the mutt's life." She said, with a drip of curiosity in her voice.

The Lord of the West did not respond to his mother, he only walked past her and continued his way home. Why had he saved Inuyasha? It could not be because they were brothers. Half-brothers. It was only because Inuyasha knew were Tetsusaiga was, that was all. That was only reason; he wanted his father's sword. His most powerful sword, instead of the useless Tensaiga that he had been left.


End file.
